Display-rack.



L. FELDMANN, Jn. & T. E. GREGELIUS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.10, 1910.

DISPLAY RACK.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Man 19, 1912.

L. PELDMANN, JB. & T. E. GRBCBLIUS.

Y DISPLAY RACK.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.10, 1910. 1 ,020,545. Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L. FELDMANN, Jn. 6L T. E. CRECELIUS.

DISPLAY RACK.

APPLICATION rum 00T. 1o, 1910.

1 ,1020,545. Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

- if mi. i

7j S um n uw Jaaa/w26 ya ,15g-MM ai@ UNTTED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE LOUIS FELDMANN, JR., AND THEODOBE E. CRECELIUS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGN- ORS TO MULTIPLIEX DISPLAY FIXTURE COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A COR- PORTAT'ION OF MISSOURI.

DISPLAY-RACK.

To all wiz-0m t may concern:

Be it known that we, LoUis FELDMANN, Jr., and THEoDoRE E. CREoEmUs, citizens of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have jointly 1nvented certain new and useful Improvements in Display-Racks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a display-rack embodying our invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the same with the motor removed; Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view, slightly enlarged, on the line 4 4, Fig.

9.; Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5 5, Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a slightly enlarged plan view of a portion of the display-rack with a portion of two leaves or wings in section, showing the carriage carrying the leaf on wing-swinging pawls traveling to the right and nearing the end of its travel in that direction, the right-hand rod-locking lever being in locking engagement with its coperating or the right-hand rod-shifting member; Fig. 7 is also a slightly enlarged plan view of a portion of the display-rack, showing the said carriage at the end of its travel to the right and abutting against the right-hand rod-shifting member, the said right-hand rod-locking lever having been tripped out of locking engagement with said redshift-ing member; Fig. 8 is a detail seetional view on the line 8 8 Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a detail sectional View on the line 9 9, Fig. 6; and Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view on thel line 10 1(), Fig. 7

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in display-racks, and particularly in display-racks having swingable leaves or wings upon which goods, wares, and merchandise may be displayed for the purpose of sale, exhibition, or otherwise, the object of our invention being to improve generally upon display-racks of the kind stated and particularly to provide a display-rack of the4 kind stated having means whereby the leaves or wings thereof may be automatically swung or oscillated.

Vith this object in view, our invention resides broadly in the novel construction of the several parts thereof and in the novel arrangement and combination of the same, all

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 10, 1910.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

Serial No. 586,248.

as will hereinafter be described and afterward pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings wherein like referencenumerals or characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates the base of the rack, which may be of any suitable material, preferably malleable iron, and comprises a somewhat broad flat bar member 2, arms or extensions 3 3 projecting forwardly from opposite ends of said member 2 and having preferably webshaped feet el at their outer ends., a portion or lug 5 projecting rearwardly froln said member 2 and preferably at some distance from one end, say, for instance, the lefthand end, thereof, a similar portion or lug 5 projecting rearwardly from said member 2 near its opposite end, and a portion 6 projecting rearwardly from said member 2 sub4 stantially midway between said portions or lugs 5 5, said feet 4t and said portions 5 5 and (5 being adapted to rest smoothly at their under faces on a tloo'r or other place of support. Said portion (3 extends somewhat more rearwardly than said portions 5 5 and is provided at its outer end with an upstanding hollow threaded substantially truncated cone-shaped member 7 Extending horizontally above said member Q and vertically spaced therefrom a suitable distance, as by means of a plurality of raised portions or bosses 9. on the upper face of said member 2, is a flat bar member 8, said member 8 heilig preferably of a length substantially equal to the length of said member 2 and being suitably fxedly secured to said bosses 2, as by means of screws 8a. Threaded in and supported by said coneshaped member 7 is a vertically-extending post 9, this post 9 being of any suitable height as desired and having threaded or otherwise secured on its upper end a headportion 10. This head-portion 10 is preferably provided with a rearwardly-extending perforated ear 11 and a forwardly-extending arm 12, see particularly Fig. 2. Arm 12 at its outer or forward endis provided with a perforated preferably flat bar portion 13 extending at right angles thereto and in alinement with said bar 8, see particularly Fig. 2, said bar portion 13 being preferably bent obliquely inwardly at its opposite ends, as at 14, and there provided with any suitable, preferably rubber, buffers l5 against which buers the outer wings or leaves 22 of the rack are adapted to contact. Said portions 5 5 are each, respectively, provided with a. rearwardly-extending perforated ear 16-16, and passing through, and extending obliquely between, said ears 16-16, respectively, and said bar portions 13, see particularly Figs. 1,-2, and 3, are suitable ,truss or brace-rods 17-17. suitable securing-nuts 18 being preferably threaded on the ends thereof. Said portion 6 is similarly provided with a rearwardly-extending perforated ear 19, and passing through and extending between said ears 11 and 19 is a suitable truss or brace-rod 20, suitable securing-nuts 20 being preferably threaded on the ends thereof and a strut 21 being preferably interposed between said post 9 and said rod 20, see particularly Fig. 1. The body of each of said wings or leaves 22 may be of any suitable construction, theI body of each of said wings or leaves comprising preferably a suitable metallic wood-filled frame 23 covered on both sides with burlap or other suitable covering 24. These wings or leaves 22 are adapted to be swingingly or pivotally supported between said bars 8 and 13, each of said wings or leaves 22 being provided at its upper inner corner with a suitable corner-piece or bracket 26 having a suitable pivot-bar or pintle 26a adapted to pivotally fit in the perforations in said bar 13, and on its lower inner corner with a substantially similar corner-piece or bracket 27 likewise having a suitable pivotbar or pintle 27a adapted to pivotally lit and rest in suitable recesses provided therefor in said bar 8. Each of said lower corner-pieces or brackets 27 is also provided with a small rearwardly-extending stud or pin 27b for purposes hereinafter appearing. As shown particularly in Fig. 2, every alternate wing or leaf 22 is preferably provided with a suitable wing or leaf-spacer 28 secured thereto in any suitable manner, each of said leaf or wing-spacers 28 being provided on its ends with suitable anti-friction rollers 29, whereby not only are the leaves of wings 22 maintained a proper distance apart, but are also readily and easily swingable without unnecessary friction. It will 'be understood, of course, that the rack may be constructed to accommodate wings or leaves of any desired size, as well as any desired number thereof; and it will be seen that the foregoing construction provides a rack which is strong, durable, and comparatively simple, and which may be readily manufactured, the leaves or wings being easily removable whenever necessary or desired. Arranged on and secured to the upper face of said base portion 2 near its opposite ends, are rearwardly-extending small plate members 30, and secured to said members 30, as by nuts 31, and extending horizontally therebetween and over said portions 5, 5, and 6, is a flat bar member 32,

said bar 32 being preferably of equal thickness, and on the same horizontal plane, with' said bar 8. These bars 8 and 32 extend parallel with each other and are spaced horizontally apart a suitable distance, providing a slide or guide-way for a carriage 33 hereinafter described. Rotatably supported above the space between said bars 8 and 32 by suitable standards or bearings 34 secured to, and upstanding from, said plate-members 30, is a rod 35 threaded throughout the greater part of its length, see particularly Fig. 3; and loosely supported in said standards or bearings 34 above and preferably in alinement with said threaded rod 35 is a rod 36 shiftable in its bearings for purposes hereinafter appearing. The carriage 33, which is adapted to slide on said bars 8 and 32, preferably comprises a portion 37 grooved or recessed at its sides, as at 38, and adapted to slidably lit on and between said bars 8 and 32, as shown particularly in Fig. 8, and an' upstanding member 39 provided with a thickened rounded perforated portion 40 through which said threaded rod 35 passes, said portion 40 being internally threaded to cooperate with said rod 35, whereby, on the rotation of said rod in one direction or the other, said carriage 35 will be caused to travel or reciprocate correspondingly in one direction or the other on said slide or guideway provided by said bars 8 and 32. Said member 39 is also preferably provided above said rounded portion 40 with a second thickened rounded perforated portion 41, which is adapted to loosely fit and slide on said shiftable rod 36 and which is further adapted to coperate with similar rod-shifting members 42 and 42 arranged on said rod 36 at opposite ends thereof to reverse, through the means hereinafter described, the direction of rotation of rod 35 and correspondingly the direction of travel of carriage 33 on said slide or guide-way. Extending laterally from opposite sides of said carriage-member or portion .37 are suitable fingers 43-43 preferably beveled at their outer ends, as at- 44-44, respectively; and extending laterally from opposite sides of said carriage-member 39 slightly above said rounded port-ion 40 and in operative position relatively to said wing or leaf-studs 27, are suitable small extensions or arms 45, each of said arms 45 being provided with a pair of forwardly extending perforated ears 46. p Pivotally mounted in said pairs of ears 46 are suitable spring-pressed leaf or wingswinging pawls 47-47 preferably beveled at their outer ends, as at 48, these pawls being adapted to operatively engage alternately with said leaf-studs 27b to swing or oscillate said wings 22 successively to the right or left as said carriage 33 is caused to travel thereapast to the left or right, respectively, and also to coperate together to movably hold the respective wings 22 therebetween at the beginning of the, and during substantially the entire, swinging movement thereof, whereby the swinging of said wings is gradual and free from jerks or shocks. It will be noted that said pawls f7-47 are also preferably beveled at their inner ends, as at 49, and that said pawls are arranged with the outer end of one thereof presented toward or facing the outer end of the other, see particularly Figs. 2, (.3, and 7, pawl 47, as there shown, being adapted to coperate with said wing-studs 27b as the carriage 33 travels to the left to swing said wings or leaves 22 to the right and said pawl e7 being adapted to coperate with said wing-studs 2Tb as said carriage travels to the right to swing said leaves or wings 22 to the left. Now the said pawls 47--17 are further preferablly so mounted in their said supporting-ears that the said beveled ends 49 thereof (see particularly Fig. (3) are adapted normally to contact with the outer face of said arms or extensions 45, whereby, under the pressure of their said springs 50, said pawls 4TH-17 are prevented from turning in their bearings and from normally extending otherwise than obliquely outwardly relatively to, and with their outer ends away from said arms or extensions 45, as shown particularly in Figs. 2, 6, and 7, and in the path of, or in engaging position relatively to, said wings.

5l indicates a motor, which may be of any approved construction and which is pref-erably arranged on suitable similar brackets 52-52" secured to, and extending rearwardly from, said base-member 2 on the left of Said lug or portion 5, as shown particularly in Figs.' 2 and 3. Connecting' said brackets 52-52 and extending therebetween forwardly of said motor is a cross-piece 5B preferably provided with a groove or slot, as at 54.

55 indicates a substantially U shaped standard or bracket having vertically upwardly extending portions or legs 55a and a portion 55b connected thereto and extending horizontally therebetween, this member or portion 551 being preferably pivotally secured, as by a pin 56, to a block 57 slidably arranged in said slot or groove 54. Block 57 `is preferably securely held in said slot by means of suitable cross-pieces 5S extending thereover and secured to said cross-piece 53, as shown particularly in Fig. 2. Suitabl y and rotatably mounted in said legs 55l is a short shaft 59 having a pulley (S0 lixedly mounted on the end thereof. Pulley (S0 is preferably provided with a concaved or hollowed rim 60 which is adapted to frictionally engage or mesh with the convexed or rounded rim 61 of a suitable pulley (3l tixedly arranged on, and adapted to rotate with, the armature-shaft G2 of motor 51, as shown particularly in Fig. 2. l `ixedl mounted on said shaft 59 between said legs 55Z1 is a suitable pulley (S3 having preferably a concaved or hollowed rim (33 and a suitable pulley t having preferably a convexed or rounded rim (34.. Loosely mounted on rod in operative relation to said pulleyl (Se is a suitable pulley (55 having a concaved or hollowed rim (35 adapted to frictionally engage or mesh with said rounded rim (-l of said pulley Gil. Also loosely mounted on said rod 35 in operative relation to said pulley (S' is a suitable pulley (5G having a conaved or hollowed rim (3(3, these pulleys (35 and (3(3 being of the same, or varying in, diameter, as desired. (37 indicates a suitable idler pulley having a convexed or rounded rim (57 adapted to frictionally engage or mesh with the hollowed rims (33 and (3(3 of said pulleys (33 and (SG, respectively. Driven pulley (35 meshing or engaging directly with said driving pulley (S-l and driven pulley GG meshing or engaging with said driving pulley (33 through said idler pulley (37, it will readily be seen that, on the rotation of said driving pulleys (33 and (54, said driven pulleys (35 and (36 will be rotated in opposite directions relatively to each other, for purposes hereinafter appearing. Said idler pulley (ST is rotatably mounted or journaled in operative relation to said pulleys (S3 and (5(3 on an arm (S8 having a slot-and-pin connection, as at (il), with an arm extending from one of said legs 55a of said standard 55 (see particularly Fig. Ll), said pulley (S7 being preferably resiliently held in frietional engagement with said pulleys (33 and (5(3 by means of a coiled spring 7l secured at one end to said arm (3S and at its other end to a hanger 7 2 mounted in and extending above said arm 70, see particularly Fig. -l It will also be noted, see particularly Fig. 2, that the opposite leg 55"l of standard is preferably resiliently connected by means of a coiled spring 73 to one of the rod-supporting standards 34. By this arrangement, the several pulleys hereinbe'fore mentioned are maintained in proper operative engagement, and the standard 55 on which said shaft 5() and pulleys (33, (341-, and (S7 are mounted as described heilig pivotally and slidably movable, as hereinbefore described, said pulleys 63, G4, and (57 are self-adjustable, as it might be said, toward said pulleys (35 and (3G, whereby wear on either or all of said sets of driving and driven pulleys is readily taken up and compensated for. Preferably .feathered on said rod 35 between said pulleys (S5 and (36, and adapted to rotate with, but slidable on, said rod, is a clutch member 74. This clutch member T-'L is provided with an annular slot or groove, as at 74, extending therearound, and on its sides with pins or studs 75-75 adapted to removably (it in and engage with, respectively, hollowed or recessed bosses 76f76 on said pulleys 65 and 66, respectively. Fixedly mounted on rod 36 in operative relation to said clutch member 74 is a cooperating clutch-member 77 having a yoke-shaped or bifurcated extension 77 adapted to loosely fit partly around said clutch-member 54 and having inwardly projecting' pins 78 adapted to loosely fit in said annular slot or groove 74. As said rod-shifting members 42 and 42 hereinbefore mentioned are similar in construction, but one thereof will be here described, say, for instance, rodshifting member 42. Rod-shifting member 42 (and likewise rod-shifting member 42,l as stated) comprises what might be called a truncated-cone-shaped member 79 having on its smaller end an integral collar 79a and being fixedly secured on said rod 36, the base 79b of said member 79 facing outwardly lor being presented toward standard 34, a like member 80 loosely and slidably arranged on said rod 36 and having on its smaller end an integral collar 80a, the base 80b of member 80 facing inwardly and said collars 79a and 30L facing or being presented toward each other, and a spring 8l coiled on said rod 36 and interposed between, and preferably attached at its ends to, said collars 79a and 80a, all as shown particularly in Figs. 2, 3, 6 and 7. Secured on said bar 8 and at opposite ends thereof in operative relation to said fixed members 79 of said rod-shifting members 42 and 42, are suitable like brackets 82-82, said brackets being provided, respectively, with upwardly projecting portions or arms 83 83', and pivotally mounted on said arms or extensions 83-83 are, respectively, rod-locking levers 84-84 adapted to coperate, respectively, with said rod-shifting members 42-42. As said levers 84-84 are similar in construction and similarly operate, the construction and operation of lever S4 will only be here described, lever 34 at its lowerI end having a small inward extension S4a and near its upper end being preferably slight-ly bent outwardly, as at 84", the upper end 84c thereof being adapted to impingc or bear smoothly against the base 7 9b of said member 79, when in one position, and to ride upon the oblique face of said member 79, as hereinafter described, and, when in another position, to rest smoothly theren against, said lever being held in its several positions by means preferably of a spring 85 secured at its upper end to said lever, then preferably wound around or coiled on the pivot-pin 86 of said lever, and at its lower end bearing against bracket 82, as shown particularly in Fig. 10.

The operation of our leaf or wing-swinging mechanism is as follows: Presuming now that pin 75 0f clutch-member 74 is in operative engagement with boss 7 6 on pulley 66 and said rod 35 is being accordingly rotated by means of said pulleys 66, 67, and 63 to cause said carriage 33 to travel toward the right, upper end 84c of lever 84 being in operative engagement with, or bearing smoothly against, the base of said fixed member 79 of rod-shifting member 42 and the upper end of lever 84 resting against the oblique side or face of the fixed member of said rod-shifting member 42', all as shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3. Now, when the pawl 47 will first be depressed by, and ride inoperat-ively past, the respective wing-studs 27b and then again assume normal position, and pawl 47 will contact or operatively engage with said respective wing-studs 27h to swing said wings successively to the left, but on the operative engagement of said pawl 47 with a respective wing-stud, said pawl 47, which is again in normal position, will also now engage with said respective stud-not to swing the `particular wing, but to retard, as it might be said, the swinging thereof under the 0perative engagement therewith of said pawl 47 said wing, while being so operatively, or swingably, as it might be said, engaged by said pawl 47 being also held by and between both said pawls 47 and 47, whereby the wings 22 will be successively gradually swung to the left. Thus said pawls, being independently depressible, are adapted not only to automatically operatively engage alternately with the respective wings to successively swing the same, but also to coperate together, as it might be stated, to hold the wings therebetween at the beginning of the, and substantially during the entire,

swinging movement thereof, whereby substantially the entire swinging movement of said wings is gradual, smooth, and free from jerks or shocks. It will be seen that, the wings 22 being normally free to swing on their pivots, were it not for said pawl 47 so engaging with, and retarding the swinging of, a respective leaf, the swinging movement thereof on the striking thereagainst or operative swingable engagement therewith of said' pawl 47" would be started with a shock or jerk and then quickly, and perhaps too harshly, completed, to the possible consequent damage or injury of merchandise displayed on said wings. After a respect-ive wing has been thus gradually swung and as the carriage 33 continues to travel to the right, the said leaf-swinging pawl 47 will likewise now be depressed by, and ride past, the wing-stud 27b thereof, as will clearly be understood. Now as the carriage 33 nears the end of its travel to the right, the said rounded portion 4l of member 39 thereof will contact with and impinge against the base 8Ob of said slidable or movable member 8() of said rod-shifting member 42, and likewise said beveled end 44 of finger 43 contacts with said inward extension 84a of rodlocking lever 84. Now as the carriage 33 continues to travel to the right, spring Sl is gradually compressed and said finger 43 operatively engages with said inward extension 84a of said lever 84, until finally said lever 84 is pivotally moved by said finger 43 and the upper end 84C thereof tripped out of locking engagement with said member 79 of rod-shifting member 42, whereupon, under the compression of said spring 8l, said rod 36 will now be shifted in its bearings, and the upper end of lever 84, which has heretofore been resting on the oblique face of the fixed member of said rod-shifting member 42', will ride up said face and then be sprung into operative locking engagement with the base of said fixed member of said rod-shifting-member 42', and said rod 36 be thereby locked in its shifted position. And as said rod 36 is shifted in its bearings, as just described, clutch-members 77 and 74 are likewise shifted and said pin 75 drawn out of engagement with said boss 76 and pin 75 thrown into engagement with boss 7 6 on pulley 65, whereupon saidk rod 35 will now be reversely rotated and said carriage caused to now travel to the left. As said carriage 33 now travels to the left, said iinger 43 will first be drawn out of engagement with said lever 84, whereupon the upper end 84c thereof will now spring into inoperative engagement with the oblique face of said fixed member 79 of said rodshifting member 42, and during the travel of the carriage to the left, said pawl 47 will now operatively or swingably engage with the respective wingstuds 27b and said pawls 47 and 47 coperate together to gradually and smoothly, as hereinbefore described, swing or oscillate said leaves or wings 22 successively to the right. lVhen the said carriage 33 now nears and reaches the end of its travel to the left, it will similarly engage with and actuate said rod-shifting member 42 and said rod-locking lever 84 to now shift said rod 36 to the left, the direction of rotation of rod 35 being, as described, again reversed and the carriage again caused to travel to the right, and so on as before described.

We are aware that minor changes in the arrangement, construction, and combination of the several parts of our invention may be made and substituted for those herein Shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination, in a display-rack, with an upstanding frame having upper and lower cross-bars, of a series of wings swingably supported by said cross-bars, a carriage-guide-way on said frame in the rear, and extending transversely to the axes, of said wings, a threaded rod rotatably mounted on said frame transversely to the axes of said wings and in operative relation to said gnide-way, a pair of driven pulleys loosely mounted on said rod, means adapted to oppositely rotate said driven pulleys, a clutch-member shiftable on said rod adapted to be shifted into operative engagement with one or the other of said driven pulleys to rotate said rod in one or the other direction, a carriage arranged to travel on said guide-way, said carriage having threaded engagement with said rod and being adapted thereby, on the rotation of said rod in one or the other direction, to be caused to travel on said guide-way in one direction or the other transversely to the axes of said wings, a second rod shiftably mounted on said frame and having operative engagement with said clutch-member, means adapted to releasably lock said second rod in shifted positions and to be automatically released from locking engagement with said rod by said carriage when said carriage reaches the end of its travel in one or the other direction, resilient rodshifting members mounted on said second rod in the path of said carriage adapted to be engaged and actuated directly by said carriage and to automatically shift said second rod when said locking-means is re.- leascd from locking engagement therewith, whereby said clutch-member will be shifted into operative engagement with the other of said driven pulleys, said threaded rod reversely rotated, and said carriage caused to travel in the opposite direction, and means on said carriage adapted to automatically swing the wings of said series in one or the other direction as said carriage is caused to travel in one or the other direction; substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a display rack, with an upstanding frame having upper and lower cross-bars, of a series of wings swingably supported by said cross-bars, a carriage-guide-way on said frame in the rear, and extending transversely to the axes, of said wings, a threaded rod rotatably mounted on said frame transversely to the axes of said wings and in operative relation to said guide-way, a pair of driven pulleys loosely mounted on said rod, means adapted to oppositely rotate said pulleys, a clutch-member on said rod adapted to be shifted into operative engagement with one or the other of said ulleys to rotate said rod in one or the otier direction, a Carriage arranged to travel on said guide-way, said carriage having threaded engagement with said rod and being adapted thereby, on the rotation of said rod in one or the other direction, to be caused to travel on said guide-way in one or the other direction, a second rod shiftably mounted on said frame and having operative engagement with said clutch-member, levers adapted alternately to releasably lock said second rod in shifted positions, means on said carriage adapted to trip said levers, respectively, out of locking engagement with said second rod when said carriage reaches the end of its travel in one direction or the other, resilient means actuated directly by said carriage adapted to automatically shift said second rod when said respective lever is released from locking engagement therewith, whereby said clutch-member will be shifted into operative engagement with the other of said pulleys, said threaded rod reversely rotated, and said carriage caused to travel in the opposite direetion, and

means on said carriage adapted to automatically swing the Wings of said series in one or the other direction as said carriage is caused to travel in one or the other direction; substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a display rack, with an upstanding frame having upper and lower cross-bars, of a series of wings swingably supported by said cross-bars, a guideway on said frame in the rear, and extending transversely to the axes, of said wings, a threaded rod rotatably mounted on said frame transversely to the aXes of said wings and in operative position relative to said guide-way, a pair of pulleys loosely mounted on said rod, means adapted to oppo-sitely rotate said pulleys, a clutch-member on said rod adapted to be shifted into operative engagement with one or the other of said pulleys to rotate said rod in one or the other direction, a carriage arranged to travel on said guide-way, said carriage having threaded engagement with said rod and being adapted thereby, on the rotation of said rod in one or the other direction, to be caused to travel on said guide-way in one or the other direction, a second rod shiftably mounted on said frame and having operative engagement with said clutch-member, springpressed levers pivotally mounted o-n said frame adjacent the opposite ends of said second rod, said levers being adapted alternately to releasably engage with said second rod to lock the same in shifted positions and to be alternately automatically released from locking engagement therewith by said carriage when said carriage reaches the end of its travel in one direction or the other, coiled springs on said second rod adjacent its opposite ends adapted to be alternately compressed by said carriage as the same nears the end of its travel in one direction or the other and to automatically shift said second rod when said respective lever is released from locking engagement therewith, whereby said clutch-member is shifted into operative engagement with the other of said pulleys, said threaded rod reversely rotated, and said carriage caused to travel in the other direction, and means O-n said carriage adapted to automatically swing the wings of said series in one direction or the other as said carriage is caused to travel in one or the other direction; substantially as described.

et. A display-rack comprising an upstanding` frame having upper and lower crossbars, a series of wings swingably supported by said cross-bars, each of said wings being provided with a rearwardly-extending stud, a carriage-guide-way on said frame in the rear, and extending transversely to the axes of said wings, a threaded rod rotatably mounted on said frame transversely to the axes of said wings and in operative position relative to said guide-way, means adapted to rotate said ,rod in one direction or the other, a carriage arranged to travel on said guide-way, said carriage having threaded engagement with said rod and being adapted thereby, on the rotation of said rod in one direction or the other, to be caused to travel on said guide-way in one or the other direction, means adapted to be automatically actuated by said carriage when it reaches the end of its travel in one direction to cause said rotating means to reversely rotate said rod to cause said carriage to travel in the other direction, and a pair of oppositely-disposed spring-pressed pawls on, and normally extending forwardly on the saine plane from, said carriage, one of said pawls being adapted to operatively engage with said studs to automatically swing the wings of said series in one direction and the other of said pawls being adapted to operatively engage with said studs to automatically swing the wings of said series in the other direction as said carriage is caused to travel in one or the other direction; substantially as described.

5. The combination with a display-rack comprising a series of swingable wings, each of said wings being provided with a rearwardly-extending stud, of a carriage adapted to travel transversely to the aXes of said wings, and a pair of oppositely-disposed spring-pressed pawls pivotally mounted on, and normally extending forwardly on the same plane from, said carriage, one of said pawls being adapted to operatively engage with said studs to swing the wings of said series in one direction and the other of said pawls being adapted to operatively engage with said studs to swing the wings of said series in the other direction as said carriage travels in one or the other direction transversely to the aXes'of said wings; substantially as described.

6. A display-rack comprising a rotatable threaded rod, a pair of driven pulleys loosely mounted on said rod, a clutch-member on said rod adapted to operatively engage With one or the other of said )ulleys to rotate said rod in one or the other d'- reotion, a driving-pulley-standard slidably mounted in operative position relatively to said driven pulleys, a plurality of driving pulleys mounted on said standard adapted to drive said driven pulleys in opposite directions, and means engaging with said standard to hold said driven and driving pulleys in operative relation; substantially as described.

7. A display-rack comprising a rotatable threaded rod, a pair of driven pulleys loosely mounted on said rod, a clutclmnemloer on said rod adapted to operatively engage with one or the other ot' said pulleys to rotate said rod in one or the other direction, a pivotally mounted driving-pulleystandard slidaloly arranged in operative position relatively to said driven pulleys, a plurality of driving pulleys on said standard adapted to frictionally engage With' said driven pulleys to drive the same in opposite directions, and resilient means engaging with said standard to hold said driven and driving pulleys in operative engagement; substantially as described.

S. A display-rack comprising a rotatable threaded rod, a pair of driven pulleys loosely mounted on said rod, a clutch-member on said rod adapted to operatively engage with one or the other of said pulleys to rotate said rod in one or the other direction, and a plurality of movably mounted self-adjustable driving pulleys adapted to drive said driven pulleys in opposite directions; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, We have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS FELDMANN, JR. THEODORE E. CRECELIUS. lVitnesses:

Guo. l/VALKER, EMIL MAYER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

